Golf in the future - autonomous carts

[roamin]

1 hour ago, Piz said:

I'm hoofing it.

I'm sorry, Dave, I'm afraid you can't do that.

[Patch]

Golfers using that technology successfully will have brains that have evolved from today's type of thinking. 

I am trying to imagine a golfer being told when, and what to do for every shot for 18 holes. 

"beverage cart coming. Buy a bbeer". This could work.

Even worse might be a strange voice telling the golfer what they did wrong. Actually now that I think about it, being told what you did wrong might be doable now. The golfer hooks a ball into the adjacent fairway. Golfer enters the hooked shot into a smart phone. Phone comes back with all the possible reasons the golfer did wrong to cause that hooked ball flight. 

[alleztom]

9 hours ago, bkuehn1952 said:

Ha ha ha - spot on.  

"Sir, take your 8 iron, depart the cart and play your shot"

"No, give me the pitching wedge."

"Sir, your Game Golf stats suggest an 8 iron"

"Pitching wedge!!"

Then watch the cart take off without the player

One step further - the clubs are locked inside the cart and only the 8 iron is presented to you. Take this stick or nothing at all...

[boogielicious]

7 hours ago, Piz said:

I'd be willing to give it a go; but as soon as the cart said "I'm sorry, Dave..."  I'm hoofing it.

 

6 hours ago, roamin said:

I'm sorry, Dave, I'm afraid you can't do that.

[RandallT]

11 hours ago, JonMA1 said:

I think everyone should be fitted with shock collars and GPS chips so that the clubhouse can monitor the pace of play for the entire course.

 

GAME GOLF has GPS, and the belt module can likely be fitted with a pelvic shocker. Now we just need people willing to pay for that enhancement!

[alleztom]

55 minutes ago, RandallT said:

GAME GOLF has GPS, and the belt module can likely be fitted with a pelvic shocker. Now we just need people willing to pay for that enhancement!

@RandallT I think the way around is that people pay for others to wear it.

[krupa]

Something about this idea really bothers me.   I suppose I don't want to give up my autonomy in the name of convenience.  Self-driving cars can save lives; I'm down with that.  Self-driving, caddying golf carts?  I'll walk, thanks.  

[CarlSpackler]

19 hours ago, nevets88 said:

Reading about slow play, got to thinking, with rfid in balls and advancements in autonomous driving technology, someone could develop an algorithm, hook it up into carts/smartphones and use it to speed up play. Using smartphones, touchscreens in carts, rfid, gps, enough wifi stations (or via cell towers), with carts doing the driving and telling golfers what to do - take these irons, play your shot, I'll drive your partner to his ball, meet the cart up at the green, that sort of thing - you could put a pretty big dent in long rounds, provided humans listen to the directives, a big if. Plus no more drunkards destroying carts. Thoughts? If this was a thing at the PGA show, I haven't been paying attention to the show. Very pie in the sky and very much in the future but possible. It's almost a win-win, non zero sum game for everyone. Golfers can concentrate on their game or socialize more, rounds are faster, courses make more money, etc...

I think you are underestimating the destructive power of the drunk American redneck. 

[Jeremie Boop]

Even having a shot tracker of some sort in the cart/on the tee which would give you a close approximation of where your shot would have landed. That way people will know if they probably lost the ball and can play the provisional right off. That would be extremely helpful on a course the player doesn't know that has some hidden hazards or OB spots. That sort of thing alone would speed up play. Also knowing the yardage helps speed up play because people won't search around for the nearest yardage marker. 

[RickK]

Had to laugh at "Robo Caddy".  That reminded me of a joke.  Oops...sorry...the joke is not socially acceptable so not allowed to tell it here.  But, if it rings a bell...go ahead and laugh.  

Edited February 1, 2017 by RickK

[cipher]

19 hours ago, phillyk said:

I'm thinking about random terrain changes like stumps, rocks, pumping lines that leave little dents in the fairway that could knock the cart off balance. Can this tech avoid/adjust/go over with ease?  I just imagine it sensing the stump then having to adjust for 2 minutes to go around it.

Yeah the tech available to cars now would easily be able to make the adjustments.  I can't see how it would make much sense financially, but it would be neat.  I would imagine if ever implemented, that the courses may want to limit the navigation to the fairways, initial rough and cart paths as well.  

[Onin2]

On 1/31/2017 at 8:32 PM, Buckeyebowman said:

It doesn't even have to be that complex. All the system would have to see is a foursome (2 carts) holding up another foursome, or threesome, or twosome. At some point the system would simply "shut off" their carts, and flash the message, "YOU ARE HOLDING UP PLAY! YOU WILL ALLOW THE FOLLOWING GROUP TO PLAY THROUGH."

It wouldn't matter how much you stomped on the accelerator, your cart simply would not work! What are these guys going to do? Throw their bags on their backs and walk?

This tech already exist. My golf bud and I played a recently renovated (2M$) course in Pearland Texas, a suburb south of Houston. The cart was equipped with GPS, nice, been there, done that. After finishing 18 he realized he'd lost his 9. So we backtracked to find it.  He thought he may have left it around the backside of the green two holes back. He was just going to drive around the green, nope cart stopped DEAD. WTH. it would only allow reverse, no amount of accelerator stomp worked. We did not find it there, then he recalled taking two clubs with him into the rough near the long water hazard. As we approached within 20 yards of the hazard, the cart stopped DEAD, would only allow reverse. We did find his Mizuno MP- 60 9 iron. 

Edited April 10, 2017 by Onin2
Additional info, this was March of 2017, this year.

[mcanadiens]

There might be some worthwhile stuff in there, but ...

The next time a golf cart tries to tell me what to do will be the last time.

[phillyk]

4 hours ago, Onin2 said:

This tech already exist. My golf bud and I played a recently renovated (2M$) course in Pearland Texas, a suburb south of Houston. The cart was equipped with GPS, nice, been there, done that. After finishing 18 he realized he'd lost his 9. So we backtracked to find it.  He thought he may have left it around the backside of the green two holes back. He was just going to drive around the green, nope cart stopped DEAD. WTH. it would only allow reverse, no amount of accelerator stomp worked. We did not find it there, then he recalled taking two clubs with him into the rough near the long water hazard. As we approached within 20 yards of the hazard, the cart stopped DEAD, would only allow reverse. We did find his Mizuno MP- 60 9 iron. 

That is called geo fencing. Not really autonomous. A lot of courses that have gps carts have that feature. Theres also features now that i, in the pro shop, could drive a cart from my computer thats on the course. Id have too much fun with that if we get them. 

[David in FL]

Just kill me now...

[Club Rat]

1 hour ago, David in FL said:

Just kill me now...

"Oh No" David, you will be missed by too many TST'ers...... Lol
And what about your good buddy G-Mac..... What's Up with his game?
Hopefully he will play better this week at the RBC Heritage.

[Lihu]

On 2/1/2017 at 5:06 AM, CarlSpackler said:

I think you are underestimating the destructive power of the drunk American redneck. 

Yup, Yankee ingenuity and adaptability combined with a blood alcohol level of 0.5%.

 

7 hours ago, Onin2 said:

This tech already exist. My golf bud and I played a recently renovated (2M$) course in Pearland Texas, a suburb south of Houston. The cart was equipped with GPS, nice, been there, done that. After finishing 18 he realized he'd lost his 9. So we backtracked to find it.  He thought he may have left it around the backside of the green two holes back. He was just going to drive around the green, nope cart stopped DEAD. WTH. it would only allow reverse, no amount of accelerator stomp worked. We did not find it there, then he recalled taking two clubs with him into the rough near the long water hazard. As we approached within 20 yards of the hazard, the cart stopped DEAD, would only allow reverse. We did find his Mizuno MP- 60 9 iron. 

Now, imagine if you were drunk and doing this? Going 2 full holes backwards at near full speed then near a hazard?

[Dave2512]

I like it. The courses around here with geofenced GPS carts are well managed. The cart provides a flyover for the upcoming hole complete with strategy tips. The carts monitor pace of play and if you fall behind there is an audio warning. They monitor it form the clubhouse and slow carts with get a visit from the ranger. On the 8th hole the carts remind golfers that it's a time saver to place drink and food orders then and not to wait until they finish 9. Carts give yardage to hazards and bunkers. It helps and it tends to keep the unrealistic on the correct tees, the cart telling people they are 225 out on every par 4 seems to humble.